In 1936 a very large group of handsome people stood for the photo at the wedding of George J. Cojocar and Mary Varteniuk.  What a great find for us... I just wonder who they all are.  Do you know?

Timmins Ontario

It seems that there was a small enclave of Romanians in the Timmins,Ontario area with the majority of the jobs being available in it's gold mines.  I have read that many of the Romanians who ended up in Timmins during the Great Depression were formerly from the Sudbury, Ontario region where they worked in Creighton Mine mining for nickel.  When jobs became scarce in the mines around Sudbury the group seemed to move en masse to Timmins to become gold miners. 

Also during the Great Depression there was a migration of people away from the prairie provinces due to the drought causing crop failures.  This is what brought the groom George Cojocar to town, I believe.  ...that and a welcoming population of fellow Romanians.  George was working as a miner at the time.

St. Mary's Romanian Orthodox Church in Timmins

The wedding was held on January 12, 1936 in Timmins, Ontario and was likely held in the Saint Mary Romanian Orthodox Church (in Timmins). The church was built a some point after 1933 when they first began fund-raising for it's construction. St. Mary's which was sanctified on September 8, 1935 by Bishop Policarp (Pompei) Morusca so we can assume the church was competed by that date. You can read about Bishop Morusca's visit to the Saint Mary's Romanian Orthodox Church near Kayville and see a photo of him in the article 1936 Saint Mary's Church Group.

If you would like to learn a little more about the traditional Romanian wedding they might have had, have a look at the article Romanian Wedding Traditions.

Can You Name Anyone?

I have numbered the people in the photo from 1 to 39.  If you are able to help me out with a name or two please give me the number when you post the name and I will update this page!

If you would like to see a larger version just click on the photo or click here.

People in the Photo

1. Rachela “Rachel” Creotor “Taylor” nee Cojocari was born in Romania and would have been about thirty-eight when this photo was taken.  She was the aunt of the groom George Cojocar (#5), Yugenea "Jennie" Stanciu nee Cojocar (#32), Martin Cojocari (#36) and wife of Gregori “Gregory” Creotor “Taylor” (#2)

2. Gregori “Gregory” Creotor “Taylor”.  He was married to Rachela “Rachel” Creotor “Taylor” nee Cojocari (#1) and was the uncle (by marriage) of the groom George Cojocar (#5).  Can you tell me if he is related to Ioan (#25)?

3. Marghola "Margie" Irimie nee ???.  Wife of Vasile (#8) and Godmother (Nasa) to the bride Mary Varteniuk (#6).

4. Unknown.  Flower girl.

5. George Cojocar was born in Saskatchewan and would have been about twenty-four years old on his wedding day.  The groom! Brother to Martin Cojocari (#36). Nephew of Rachela "Rachel" (#1) and Gregori "Gregory" (#2).  First-cousin of Yugenea "Jennie" Stanciu nee Cojocar (#32).

6. Mary Cojocar nee Varteniuk was born in Creighton Mine, Ontario and was eighteen years old when she wed.  The bride! Daughter of George Varteniuk (#10) and Eva Varteniuk nee Pinciuc (#9). Sister of Laura Victoria Varteniuk (#14) and George Gerard Varteniuk (#22).

7. Unknown. Flower girl.

8. Vasile Irimie.  Husband of Marghola "Margie" (#3), Godfather (Nasu) to the bride Mary Varteniuk (#6).  He owned the Kingston House Hotel in Timmins.

9. Eva Varteniuk nee Pinciuc.  Mother of the bride Mary Varteniuk (#6)

10. George Varteniuk.  Father of the bride Mary Varteniuk (#6) 

11. Unknown

12. Unknown bridesmaid.

13. Unknown

14. Laura Victoria Varteniuk, sister and bridesmaid to Mary Varteniuk (#6)

15. Unknown

16. Unknown bridesmaid.

17. Unknown

18. Unknown bridesmaid.

19. Unknown

20. Dan Stanutz, Husband of Eugenie Stanutz (#21), Uncle by marriage to the bride Mary Cojocar nee Varteniuk (#6)

21. Eugenie Stanutz nee Varteniuk, Wife of Dan (#20), Aunt to the bride Mary Varteniuk (#6), Sister to George Varteniuk (#10).

22. George Gerard Varteniuk, Brother of the bride Mary Varteniuk (#6)

23. Unknown

24. Unknown

25. Ioan Kroitori.  Father of Alexander "Alec" (#34), Father-in-law to Annie (#26), Uncle by marriage to the bride Mary Varteniuk (#6). On an unrelated note, can you tell me if he is related to Gregori “Gregory” Creotor “Taylor” (#2)?

26. Annie Kroitori “Taylor” nee Oglan. Her husband Alexander “Alec” Kroitori “Taylor” is #34.  She is the Daughter-in-law of Ioan Kroitori (#25). 

27. Unknown

28. Unknown

29. Unknown

30. Unknown

31. George Stanciu husband of Yugenea "Jennie" Stanciu nee Cojocar (#32)

32. Yugenea "Jennie" Stanciu nee Cojocar married to George Stanciu (#31).  First-cousin of the groom, George Cojocar (#5) and to Martin Cojocari (#36).

33. Unknown

34. Alexander “Alec” Kroitori “Taylor” son of Ioan (#25).  His wife Annie is #26 in this photo.

35. Unknown

36. Martin Cojocari  I want to say that this looks like Martin Cojocari, brother of the groom George Cojocar (#5), but I don't have him identified in any early photos so I have nothing to compare to.  That looks like a Cojocar jaw if you ask me.  It makes sense for him to be at his brother's wedding.  He would have been eighteen years old in 1935.  What do you think?

37. Unknown

38. Unknown

39. Unknown